IN FEMALE ATTIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 13 January 1932, Page 6

IN FEMALE ATTIRE

MAN'S “STATE OF FANTASY.”

EXTRAORJ)fNARY DECEPTION

Living in a- state of fantasy and to gratify a make-belief that he was a female, was the explanation given by a prison doctor for the masquerade of Augustus Joseph Hud, aged 21. a colliery hand, who, at Liverpool Assizes recently, was sentenced to 18 months’ hard labour. At the direction of Air Justice Talbot, Hull was brought into the dock wearing a long black lace dress, an imitation leopard skin coat, a fur necklet, and a rnarcel-waved transformation. It was stated that he was .arrested in these clothes, and Mr R. S. Trotter, defending, had asked that he should be allowed to appear in male attire. The judge decided, however, that he must wear women’s clothes until the case for the Crown was closed, after which Hull changed into a man's tweed suit.

Mr Maxwell Fyfe, prosecuting, said the amazing feature of the case was that Hull, while posing as a woman, so deceived a man that he lived with him as his wife.

Counsel explained that a, labourer named George Burrows met Hull while cycling, and the two went to the pictures and walked out together for some time. •

Hull told him “she’' was unhappy and was thinking of suicide, and the only thing to make “her" cling to life was for them to go away together. They discussed marriage, and eventually rooms were obtained for Hull, who told the landlady that they were going to be married by special license. After that day Hull wore a wedding ring and from that night they actually occupied a bed-sitting room in the house and posed u.s man and wife. Later they lived at several addresses in St. Helens and alter that went camping together on the River Weav-

On their return to St. Helens, Hull came to Burrows saying that “her” uncle had discovered they had been living together without being married ‘‘and they would have to go away '

Hull persuaded Burrows to go away and they went to Bristol and then to Birmingham, and finally to London. In London, Hull told Burrows “she’’ had got a post as companion to a titled woman.

Burrows believed thi* for a while, but after a time he began to doubt it

end eventually he taxed Hud, who said that in fact "she” was scrubbing floors for someone else.

They then arranged to go hack to St. Helens and get married, but Hull did not keep the appointment, and after searching for two days in London, Burrows went Lack ,to St. Helens aldii'l On making inquiries there he discovered the deception and communicated with the police. Hull was found in Blackpool in the company of another man, and "as arrested. He was then dressed as a woman. Giving evidence, Hull said while at home he was treated like a girl. He used to do tlie housework and scrub the floors. He used to play, until' lie was six years of age, with girlish toys. In answer to a question why lie wore woman's clothing, he said he had no peace in St. Helen* whatever he wore. !’ f he wore men's clothes he was taken for a woman.

All his life he had wanted to pass as a woman, and it was his natural inclination to he treated as a woman.

Dr Rankin, a Liverpool psychiatrist, said HuTl was feminine in' his outlook and mentality.

On hearing his .sentence Hull buist into tear s and had to he carried down to the cells.